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Visiting with My Donkeys

It’s been a while since I’ve updated you on my donkeys, and I am happy to report - all five are doing very well.

Donkeys love being outside, where they can roam free and roll on the ground. And, while rolling on the ground helps to scratch their backs, it's also a natural behavior for donkeys to cover themselves in the dust, which provides great insulation and protection from extreme cold and heat. Here at my Bedford, New York farm, my donkeys, Rufus, Clive, Billie, Jude Junior, and Truman Junior, are outside during the day in a large paddock near my stable. In the afternoon, they are brought back in, where they are groomed and fed.

Here are some of the latest photos and a fun video, enjoy.

One nice thing about being home is that I get to spend more time with my pets – I just love their company. Here are my two youngest donkeys, Jude Junior and Truman Junior – affectionately named after my grandchildren. They joined my stable last May and are doing great.

These two are very bonded and are never far apart.

Fortunately, they get along with the “three amigos” just fine. Here are Clive, Billie and Rufus grazing on the other side of the same paddock.

Truman Junior is in the back. He is about four years old and a little taller than Jude Junior in the front. Jude Junior is about two years old. Male donkeys are called jacks and females are called jennets or jennies. Jude Junior is the second jenny to join my herd – Billie is also a female donkey.

These two are very healthy, and very friendly – they come right to the gate whenever someone stops to visit.

Jude Junior is always on the lookout for a treat or a pat on the head. She loves to visit with everyone at the farm.

Although donkeys are very conscious of safety in their surroundings, they are also quite curious. Here is Jude Junior trying to get up close to the camera.

Of course, Truman Junior is never far. Look closely, donkeys usually have a dark stripe of fur down their backs and across their shoulders and can be born with a wide range of colors.

Donkeys are happiest with plenty of space to roam around and graze, which they do for the majority of the day. The five are in their large paddock from morning until late afternoon when they are fed and put back into their stalls.

Here’s Rufus coming to say hello. Donkeys are very social animals.

Of the “three amigos”, Rufus is often the first to greet visitors who enter the enclosure.

And here is Clive – the tallest of the five, but very friendly. Do you know… a donkey is capable of hearing another donkey from up to 60 miles away in the proper conditions? They have a great sense of hearing, in part because of their large ears.

The donkey’s sense of smell is considered to be similar to the horse. Donkeys greet each other by smelling and blowing in each other’s nose. The smell of breath imparts important information to the donkey.

Donkeys are herd animals, so they don’t like being separated from other members of their pack – even to the watering station. I have automatic waterers in all the stalls and paddocks, so there is always water available.

Billie is wearing a fly mask, but she can still see very clearly.

By late afternoon, the donkeys are inside eating. Donkeys require a diet low in protein, sugar, and starch, but high in fiber.

The thing to remember, however, is that donkeys cannot be overfed. Eating too much protein and other nutrient-rich foods can make them sick. They also tend to gain weight very easily. I am very glad these donkeys are in excellent shape.

Donkeys are calm, intelligent, and have a natural inclination to like people. Donkeys show less obvious signs of fear than horses.

Clive, Rufus, and Billie share one large stall, while Jude Junior and Truman Junior share a stall next door. After being out all day, Dolma carefully goes over their coats with a metal curry comb. This helps pull dirt and dead hairs out of the coat. The short teeth help to loosen dirt and stimulate the skin to produce natural oils.

My donkeys are very familiar with their routine. Dolma stopped brushing for a quick snapshot.

And here they are all brushed out and ready for a little rest in the safety of their stall. Donkeys have a reputation for stubbornness but this is because of their highly developed sense of self-preservation. It’s difficult to force or frighten a donkey into doing something that’s contrary to its own best interest or safety.

It’s hard to resist a face as cute as Clive’s. See you soon, my donkeys. Below is a short video of Jude Junior and Truman Junior running around the paddock – I am glad they are happy here at Cantitoe Corners.